Acts 19:1

"And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples"While Apollos was at Corinth" Acts 18:26. When Paul came to Ephesus, he did not meet Apollos (Acts 18:21), for he had already left. The First Corinthian letter also mentions the fact that Apollos had been at Corinth and worked with that congregation (1 Corinthians 3:6). "Having passed through the upper country" As of Acts 18:23, we find that Paul had been traveling overland from Antioch strengthening the Christians in the regions of Galatia and Phrygia. Two routes were open from this region to Ephesus. "One was through the low country, along the Lycus and Meander River valleys, passing through Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea. The other route was called the upper route because it took the traveler across the high tablelands of the interior of Asia Minor. Taking the northern route through the highlands, Paul would have approached Ephesus from around the north side of Mt. Messogis" (Reese p. 666). "Came to Ephesus" This city was one of the great cities of the world during New Testament times.

While Pergamum was the capital of the Roman province of Asia, Ephesus was the largest city in the province, having. population estimated to be around 300,000.

Located four miles from the Aegean Sea, Ephesus was situated at the mouth of the Cayster River, and thus boasted the best inland harbor on the coast of Asia. As. result, it was the most important trade center west of Tarsus. "Ephesus was the gateway to Asia, it was the entrance for shipping from the West, and the point of departure for the caravans between the Ionian coast and the East. The highway led from Ephesus across central Asia Minor through the Cilician Gates to Antioch, and hence across Syria to the Euphrates valley, Persia, and India" Acts 19:1 The city contained. theater which would seat some 25,000 people. "A main thoroughfare, some 35 feet wide, ran from the theater to the harbor, at each end of which stood an impressive gate. The thoroughfare was flanked on each side by rows of columns 15 feet deep. Behind these columns were baths, gymnasiums, and impressive buildings" (Nelsons p. 345). The city was also. religious "mecca" for those devoted to the worship of Diana (also called Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus). "The temple of Artemis in Paul's day was supported by 127 columns, each of them 60 feet high. The Ephesians took great pride in their grand edifice. During the Roman period, they promoted the worship of Artemis by minting coins with the inscription, 'Diana of Ephesus'" (Nelsons p. 346). 'The great temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, had been rebuilt after its destruction by fire in 356 B.C. Its immense size, 360 ft. in length and 180 feet in breadth exclusive of its platform, its ornate carvings and its varied paintings, as well as the image of Artemis which supposedly fell down from heaven, made it the religious center of all Asia" (Tenney p. 279). "In addition to the worship of the traditional deity, Ephesus was renowned for its patronage of occult arts. 'Ephesian letters" or formulations of magical charms, were famous'" (p. 280).

This chapter should offer tremendous encouragement to all Christians. For on the surface one might think that Ephesus had everything it needed, and yet overwhelmingly stiff competition faced the gospel in this city. To the casual observer, it would look like the devil had the people here safely protected from the gospel message behind. wall of pleasure, material goods, and human pride, but many people will become Christians in this city.

Acts 19:1 "Found certain disciples" The word "disciple" means. learner, but we should note that these 12 men were not Christians when Paul first met them (Acts 19:5). From the events in this chapter, certain Pentecostal and charismatic groups have attempted to use these verses as. proof-text for. two-stage process in conversion. They believe that stage one is faith and conversion, followed later by. receiving of the Holy Spirit. But that doctrine does not fit these passages, for these "disciples" were not Christians in the first "stage" in which Paul found them. They had not heard about Jesus (Acts 19:4), they did not believe in Jesus and they had not been baptized into the name of Jesus (Mark 16:15; Acts 2:38).